Lithuania Sends Troops to Kaliningrad Border to Guard Against Russian Deserters

Lithuania has deployed military personnel to patrol its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region amid concerns that Russian deserters could attempt to cross illegally if Moscow launches another wave of mobilization, LRT reported, citing BNS on October 26.

Around 100 Lithuanian troops have been assigned to patrols near the town of Vištytis, with the deployment expected to continue through mid-November as a preventive measure.

Authorities have increased monitoring across the entire border area, including land routes, waterways, and airspace. The additional military presence has nearly doubled patrol density along Lithuania’s roughly 300-kilometer border with Kaliningrad.

Near Vištytis, part of the border runs through a lake, where the boundary is marked by special buoys. Lithuanian authorities monitor the area using surveillance systems and patrol boats.

Border guards are preparing for possible attempts to enter Lithuania illegally from Russia. Earlier this year, two Russian citizens crossed into the country over the frozen lake.

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Personnel from Lithuania’s National Defence Volunteer Forces are taking part in the mission, rotating through four border posts every four to five days.

The deployment also gives Lithuanian troops practical experience operating along the frontier and preparing defensive positions in case of a wider security escalation.

Lithuanian authorities said the increased military presence does not restrict daily life in the border community, while enhanced checks are being conducted under existing border-security procedures.

Earlier, Poland began using artificial intelligence to monitor its border with Belarus, combining feeds from cameras, drones, and other sensors into a single system that automatically flags suspicious activity for soldiers and Border Guard officers.

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